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 foot of the throne of Ra, I shall solemnly appoint you and your heirs my successors to the double crown of Kamt."

"I'll tell you what you had better not do," I rejoined half crossly, " and that is to fall in love yourself with the fascinating lady. Everyone seems to be doing it about here."

"Oh, I?" he said, suddenly becoming serious, and with a touch of sadness. "I am here with a purpose, altogether besides my own self. I have to prove to the world that neither my father nor I were fools or liars. I must study the life, the government, the art of the men; my heart is crusted over with fragments of papyrus and mummies, it is impervious even to the beauty of these warm-blooded women."

"For shame, Girlie! at your age!"

"I have no age, Mark, only a number of wasted years behind me, and a few on ahead, which I am determined shall be well filled."

It was a beautiful starlit night, and the crescent moon shone wonderfully bright over the ancient city, with its marble edifices, its water-streets, which wound in and out among mimosa and acacia groves like a bright blue ribbon covered with glistening gems. As they rowed the boatmen sang a sweet, monotonous barcarolle, and from east and west, and north and south, at regular intervals, fanfares of trumpets greeted the crescent moon as she rose.

The great judgment-hall of Men-ne-fer stood—a gigantic circular, roofless building—high above a flight of dull grey granite steps. Open to the sky above, it was only lighted by the brilliant yet weird rays of the moon, which threw into bold relief the semi-circular rows of seats on which, when we entered, were seated a number of solemn-looking Egyptians in long flowing